What are Your Favorite Documentaries?

I’m looking for some new and interesting documentaries. I want to watch ones on religion, conversion (and deconversion), sexuality and gender, abortion, and educational reform. Does anybody have any good documentaries to recommend?

26 responses to “What are Your Favorite Documentaries?”

Others:
“C.S.A.-The Confederate States of America”-You know how they say that history is written by the “Victors”? This is an example of what a history documentary would have been like had the Confederates won the Civil War. You don’t have to be an American to enjoy it.

“The Science of Evil”-research about what makes good people do bad things. It is from a purely secular, academic standpoint.

“[A]Sexual”-about people who are, well, asexual.

And the series “Taboo” has a very interesting episode about gender. I don’t remember the name right now, but the whole series is cool.

Abortion – Vessel. I have yet to watch this one but i have heard it’s very good.
Food Inc. was one of the best i have watched.
Gender – Miss Representation. About women’s miss representation in the media and other positions of power.

I recommend these documentaries, religion topics. You can watch them online:

The Amish: Shunned. PBS: American Experience. 4 Feb 2014. Web Video.

From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians. PBS Frontline. Parts 1 & 2. Epic story of rise of Christianity. 4 hrs explore the life and death of Jesus, the men and women whose belief, conviction, and martyrdom created the religion we now know as Christianity.

Kumare, 2011, trailer, 2:05m, movie available on Netflix and DVD. True story of a false prophet who encourages followers to find the guru within.

The Mormons. PBS: American Experience: Frontline. 2007. Web Video.

The Nature of Existence, 2010, trailer, 2:05m, movie available on Netflix and DVD. Must see documentary of interviews with spiritual leaders, gurus, scientists, artists, and everyday people answering questions about why we exist.

Rajnesshpuram, Oregon Public Broadcasting. 2012. Web Video.

The Secret Swami – Sai Baba on BBC exposing godman. 2004.

The Story of the Jews. Aired 3/25/2014. Prize winning author and Emmy-Award winner Simon Schama brings to life Jewish history and experience in a five-part documentary series.

If you’re working your way through anything that looks even potentially interesting available on Netflix, then we’re probably covering the same ground. I doubt I can suggest anything new. I recently added (I think it had just shown up) Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?, simply because, given the competition, why not? I haven’t watched it yet, though, so I’ve got nothing to say about it besides naming the title. Most other things I’ve watched that are pretty clearly in the documentary genre have already been named. For the true confessions moment here, I do actually go to YouTube and look for clips of various people speaking or (my favorite) getting into heated arguments.

A life- and mind-altering documentary is Vegucated. If you have Netflix where you are, you can watch it for free on there. It’s about the food industry, which isn’t what you listed, but I had no idea how important it was either until I watched it.

The story is of a lady who gets three average people who are asked to try vegan for a short period of time. the documentary follows their stories and goes in depth into everything they learn along the way with the help of the host

It is essentially the background, and chemistry of psychopaths. It opens up certain questions, and stigmas that society has towards psychopaths. It is just a really interesting look at psychopaths. But then again I have a weak spot for anything remotely macabre.

Sons of Perdition is an interesting one about what happens to the “extra” young men in the FLDS (breakaway polygamous Mormon sect) I haven’t seen Jesus Camp, but have seen The Bible Tells Me So, about homosexuality & Christianity. Very powerful!

The Lottery addresses controversy with US charter schools. They follow as families eagerly wait to see if their children will be chosen for the charter school and cover some of the reasons why charter schools may not be the best idea….and how they leave out the majority of kids in the area.